Hip protector for athletes



R. HANsoN HIP FROTECTOR FOR ATHLETES Original Filed D60.

Aug. 31, 1926.

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INVENToFz ATTORNEYS @0mm ICL# Patented-Aug. 31, Isae. 1,598,133 UNITE@STATES PTNT- UFFICE.

RAY HANSON, OF DELAWARE, OHIO.

.HIP PROTECTQRFOR .ATI-ILETES.

Application filed December 27', 1923, Serial No. 682,856. 'Renewed March11, 1926.

This invention relates 'to devices to 'be waterproofit doesnot softenwhen wet. The worn by athletes, particularly football playplatesthemselves may be about 21/2 inches ers, and its chief object is toprovide a device wide. Their lengths depend somewhat upon for protectingthe hips and spine of the playthe size of the trousers in which they are60 er, which will afford adequate protection to be used, beingpreferably longer for without materially impeding the free bendlargetrousers than for smaller trousers. ing movement of the wearers body inall di- Similarly, the spaces between adjacent sets rections. Anotherobject is to provide for of overlapping plates may be varied to make thepurpose a device which can be manuthe protector'i'it trousers ofdifferent size 65 l factured at reasonable cost. A further obaround thehips orat the waist line, as will ject is to provide a protecting devicewhich be readily understood, and it may be de- Y can be applied and wornwith garments not sirable in some cases to vary the number of designedespecially for such devices. To sets, or to make the individual plateswider these and other ends the invention consists in or narrower, orboth, in order to obtain a 70 the novel features and combinationsheregood fit and insure adequate protection to inafter described. thewearer. I also prefer to have the outer One form of the invention anditsmanplates of each row, and those next to the ner of use isillustrated in the accompanying recess 10, somewhat shorter than theplates drawings, in whichi betweenv these pairs; and those above the 75Fig. 1 isa back view and Fig. 2 a side recess are considerably shorterthan any of view of a player wearing my improved hip the others. Thesefeatures contribute greatand spine protector. ly to the desirableadvantage of causing Fig. 3 is a detail vie-w of the device, on minimuminterference with the movements a larger scale, with a portion of theouter of the wearer. 80 cover folded back to show the'protecting VTheoverlapping protector plates 14 are plates. securely fastened in thedevice, the upper Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of F ig. 3. platesbeing secured at their upper ends and The device illustrated is of agenerally the lower plates at their lower ends, but are rectangularshape, with rounded corners and not secured together. They simplyoverlap, s a rather deep recess 10 extending upwardly as indicated. Theresult 'Y is that as the from about the middle of its lower edge. bodyof the wearer bends, thevplates slide on The device comprises a thickpad 11 of yield'- each other, up or down, or sideways, or both, ingmaterial of any suitable character, as for thus causing practically nosensible interexample cotton felt. Over this, on the outer ference withhis movements. For fastening 3 side thereof, I preferably employ a layerof the plates in place I preferably employ riv- I heavy canvas or otherfabric of proper ets, as indicated at 15, passing through both strength,indicated at 12, the edges of which the inner canvas layer 12 and thefelt pad. may be fastened to the pad in any convenient 11 as well.manner, as by bringing them inwardly over @ver the plates is an outercanvas layer the edges of the pad and running 4one or or cover 16, theedges of which may be semore rows of stitching 13 around the same. curedto the inner layer 12 and pad 11 by the On the inner canvas layer 12, ordirectly stitching 13, as clearly indicated in Figr4. upon the felt padif the inner canvas layer I also prefer to enclose the protecting isomitted, is a series of protector plates 14, plates 14 in verticalpockets or cells, to 100,

arranged in two horizontal rows with the'v limit their relative lateralor sidewise'move-- plates of the upper row overlapping those ment andprevent'too great lateral moveimmediately below in the lower row, asment, which might result in such disarrangeshown. The plates are made of any suitable mentas to seriously impede the wearer or material havingthe requisite stiffness to permit injury to his person between platesafford the. desired protection and having at thus spread apart. Thesepockets or cells the same time sufficient toughness to witharepreferably made by vertical rows of stand hard usage without breaking ortear-" stitching 17, through `at least the two caning. I prefer to makethe plates of the mavas layers 12, 16, and 'preferably also terial knownas fibre board, yThis matethrough the felt pad 11. I also prefer "to'1.10 rial, in sheets about g3g of an inch thick, has close the cells orpockets at top and bottom. been found highly satisfactory, and` being bylike rows of stitches 18, A v

1 .players and others,

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.ing lthe protector and fastened the top and .bottom thereof, forming arow ,o-frivets as indicated at 1,9, Figs. l and 2.

This .method and larrangement have been .effective and Ithoroughlysatisfactory, holdsecurely lin place ,and causningno .appreciableinterference with .the .bending movements of the wea-rer,forwardbaclrwardly, or sidewise.

` YWhen worn as described the 4device af- -rfords ample protection tothe hips andsspine,

ractically elin'iinating ,danger of any real injury tothese partet andythus tending to ,increase thecondenceof the wearer, a redsultyparticula/d37 ldesirable iin game like football, :in which seriousinjuries are lnot uncommon.

lt is :to .be understood that the invention is not 'limited to thespecific construction herein illustrated .and .described but can betmbodied'n lother forms without Ydeparture Afrom .its spirit ,as definedby theV following claims.

I claim: y p

1; A hipvandspine protector for football players `and others, adapted tobe worn .across the base of the spine andlto ,extend laterally andforwardly over the hips, comprising an inner p ad of yielding material,an outer layer of fabric on the outer or `rear faceof the`pada,plurality of vertical pro-Y tector ,plates inside of the outer fabriclayer, arranged in an uppery transverse iOW,4 and 4fasteried in .placeindividually 'and at their `upper endsonlvmfor .free movementindependently vof etCh Otheigyand a lower rowxof like vertical protector4plates .overlapped by the respective plates of the upper -row andfastened .in place at their -lower ends only, to permit the plates ofeach row to slide freely .on the @Qiltgtlolls'plates of the other row.*s

'2. A liipandfsnine protector for .football across the jbase of theSpine .and to extend laterally and forwardly kover the hips, com-.fprisng an inner pad Of vyielding material,

,an outer fabric layer secured to the pad, an upper, .tramverse row .ofverticslfpmtettor platesbetateen the Pied aildsaid fabric .layer inplate .at their upper ends antesala-wtf row Q vertical protester.prising ,an ,inner .inner'and outer or rear face of the pad,

ets yezgtending ,through the inner and Outer `adapted to be wornmitsingen intel pt interfase Outer. 4tetris ,layers -Qri the @Gili-ter,rs-alf Ifett of the Pad Said .Ped and' fthrt .layerslhatiag' aretessonly', :to permit individuel .movement .ef the i row to slide freely onthe contiguous plates of the other row, .and vertical rows of stitchingbetween the overlapping plates to'provide cellsor pockets for the platesin vertical setsor pairs.

A hip rand spine protector for Yfootball players and others, adapted tobe worn across the base of the `spinedand to extend laterally andforwardly over the hips, compad of yielding material, fabric layers onthe outer an upper ytr ansverse row of vertical protector plates betweenthe inner and 'Otter fabric layers, rivets ,extending through-the upperends 'of the plates in Ysaid upper lrow .and through .the inner fabxit`layer Vand pad. .t

o fasten the Said plates individually in place, a' lower row of verticalprotector plates overlapped by the respective plates 'of the upper row,andwrivlower endsof the ,plates in th lower .row vand threugh the innerfabric layer and :Ped t0 fasten the Said `plates individually kin place,whereby the plates of each row are permitted to slide `freelypnthecontiguojus plates ofthe other row. c

4. A hip and spine.protectorfor football players `and others, adapted to.be worn Vacross ,the b ase ,of the spine vand toextend laterally andforwardlyover the Ahips, com- .nrisngfan inner-.paid 0i yieldingmaterial, fabric layers on the outer or -,rear face of the pad, an upperxtransverse row of vertical protector plates between the .inner andouterfabriclayers, rivets extending through the 'upper ends of the plates insaid upper row and{tlnmgh the inner fabric layer and pad to fasten thesaid plates individually in place, xa lower .row of .vertical protectorvplates overlapped by the respectivefplates of the lupper roW, rivetsextending through the lower ends of the plates in the lower row andthrough the inner 'fabric layer and pad to fasten the said platesinydividually in place, and vertical rows ,of

c .Stitching .ti-imesh .theinnef and Outer fabric layers betwee theoverlapping plates to provide 1cells or pockets for the plates inpairs,` whereby the .plates'of ,each row are 115 permitted to slidefreely on the contiguous 'plates of the other row;l y L f 5,- ft-.hipand, ,Spine 4nrtttttor for v:teo.ttall Players and Y Others adapted t0fb@ Wn stress the bese v0f y Lthe spine and tor extend 12 laterally Aandforwardly ,over the hips, comflot' yielding materiel,

extending 'upwardly 125 tes'ffbetweenth .innerand opter -fttliff1-c'fs/aat ending nem ede sa@ @dass the {belet-ttt stette .it/.risatettthelt ser@ 13 and lower ends respectively, the plates of one rowoverlapping the respective plates of the other and capable of slidingfreely upon each other to permit free bending movement of the wearersbody.

6. ln a protector adapted to be worn in the trousers of a footballplayer, a pair of vertically elongated plates arranged one above theother and overlapping each other, the upper plate being secured in placeby a rivet through its upper end and the lower by a rivet through itslower end.

7. The combination with football players-` pants, of a hip and spineprotector as described in claim 1, fastened to the trousers by rivetsbetween pairs of upper and lower plates, in position to extend acrossthe base of the spine and laterally and forwardly over the hips of theplayer when the pants are worn.

In testimony whereof I hereto aHiX my signature.

RAY HANSON.

